Infielder Ha-Seong Kim is reportedly heading to the Tampa Bay Rays. Kim and the Rays have agreed to a two-year, $29 million contract, per multiple reports. The deal reportedly includes an opt-out after the first season.

Kim has spent the past four seasons with the San Diego Padres, who signed him out of the South Korean league. Kim was one of the top free agents this offseason, with his skill as a versatile infielder among his main strengths. In 2024, the infielder had a .233 batting average, with 11 home runs and 22 stolen bases.

Kim missed the Padres' postseason run after undergoing shoulder surgery in September. He is still recovering from surgery but is reportedly expected to be ready to play in May.

In November, Kim declined a mutual option on his contract with San Diego, opening him up to free agency.

Kim will reportedly play shortstop with the Rays. The 29-year-old infielder played shortstop with the Padres last season but has also played second base and third base during his time in San Diego. In 2023, Kim played 102 games at second base before switching positions last year.

What to make of this deal for Kim and the Rays?

Amid an offseason of uncertainty for the franchise due to the damage done to Tropicana Field by Hurricane Milton, the Rays have quietly gone about their business in hopes of upgrading a roster coming off the franchise’s worst finish since 2017.

This deal addresses an obvious short-term need in a similar fashion to the one-year pact with backstop Danny Jansen inked earlier this offseason. While Junior Caminero appears primed to seize the third-base job, shortstop projected as a position of weakness for the Rays. Taylor Walls is a tremendous defender but an abysmal hitter, and Jose Caballero profiles better in a utility role than as an every-day shortstop. The 21-year-old Carson Williams is one of baseball’s top overall prospects and spent all of 2024 at Double-A, but his strikeout issues suggest he might still be a year or two away from being ready to contribute in the big leagues. Kim represents an ideal bridge to Williams, whether he ends up opting out after 2025 or sticks around for both years of his deal.

A fantastic glove in his own right, Kim offers similar defensive upside to Walls and far greater upside with the bat. The unknown with Kim — and surely the reason the 29-year-old had to settle for a deal much lower than what many projected — is how he’ll bounce back from shoulder surgery, which cut his 2024 season short. Walls and Caballero will likely continue to cover short to open the season, but the hope is that Kim can return in May and upgrade the position in a meaningful way. It’s a sensible landing spot for Kim and a nice upside play for a Rays franchise whose limited budget generally precludes them pursuing free agents capable of 4-plus WAR seasons. — Shusterman